Description
Cryptanthus – Earth Star – Starfish Plant –
There are about 50 species of mostly stemless, evergreen, mainly dwarf, terrestrial perennials (bromeliads), in this genus. They occur in soil or on rocks in moist to dry, forest regions, at altitudes up to 5,000′ feet in Eastern Brazil. The strap to spoon shaped, finely toothed, wavy edged, sometime attractively zoned, striped, or banded with white or red leaves are borne in flat, star like rosettes with a small central funnel. In some species, offsets form in the leaf axils, others produce them from creeping rhizomes. In summer, inconspicuous, star shaped, often scented, white or greenish white flowers are produced in sunken, corymb like inflorescences in the center of each rosette.
Indoors, grow in terrestrial bromeliad potting mix in full or bright filtered light with moderate to high humidity. In the growing season, water moderately but carefully, mist regularly with tepid water, and apply a dilute fertilizer monthly, reduce water slightly in winter.
Prone to scale insects, and mealy bugs.
C. forterianus – This stemless or short stemmed bromeliad from Brazil grows 5″ tall and 24″ wide. It is almost flat, widely spreading rosettes of up to 12 strap shaped, long pointed, wavy edged, toothed, brownish green or reddish brown leaves, to 12″ long. The leaves are cross banded purplish brown or grayish brown above and gray scaly beneath. In summer it bears white flowers, ½” long, in corymbs consisting of a 3 or 4 flowered outer cluster and 2 flowered inner cluster.
Zones 14-15
